1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a structure for installing a developing unit in a case of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, such as a laser printer, a facsimile machine or a digital copier, scans a light beam across a uniformly charged photoconductor to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor, applies toner (developing agent) to the electrostatic latent image to develop it into a visible toner image, transfers the visible toner image to a print medium, and fuses the toner image on the print medium to print a predetermined image.
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus 10 defines a C-shaped print medium path for printing images on print media. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus 10 includes a developing unit 20 having a toner container and a photoconductor 25, a light scanning unit (LSU) 30 to scan a light beam corresponding to image data onto the photoconductor 25, and a transfer roller 27 to transfer a toner image formed on the photoconductor 25 to a print medium.
The developing unit 20 is detachably installed in a case 11 of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus 10. To install the developing unit 20 into the case 11, a user opens a door 12 formed at a side of the case 11 and inserts the developing unit 20 into the case 11 while holding a handle 21 of the developing unit 20. A guide rail 15 is formed in the case 11 to guide the developing unit 20 toward an installed position, which is indicated in FIG. 1 by a chain double-dashed outline. In the installed position, the photoconductor 25 of the developing unit 20 faces the transfer roller 27. Also, the developing unit 20 is formed with a first guide protrusion 22 and a second guide protrusion 23 that slide on the guide rail 15 when the developing unit 20 is guided by the guide rail 15.
However, when the guide rail 15 is a type that bends upward as it nears the installed position, it is difficult for a user to insert the developing unit 20 into the side of the case 11 and move it to the installed position in a single motion by using the handle 21. That is, when the guide protrusion 22 reaches the bent portion of the guide rail 15, the user has to re-grasp the handle 21 to further insert the developing unit 20 into the case 11. Further, since the handle 21 is placed deep in the case 11 when the developing unit 20 is in the installed position, it is difficult to remove the developing unit 20 from the case 11 by pulling out the handle 21.